The present invention relates to reels, i.e. devices typically having a generally cylindrical core and a head at each end of the core, and more particularly to such reels assembled from generally planar blanks and to the blanks for producing such reels.
Reels have a wide variety of applications and uses involving winding up or paying out flexible materials. Often, such materials are wound on reels directly from or as a part of manufacturing operations. When reels are utilized, it is, of course, necessary to have them available. This often creates storage problems involving substantial space requirements.
While there may be no alternative in some instances, in many cases, the availability of a structure which could minimize space requirements and reduce shipping and storage costs would be, to say the least, attractive. Such possibilities arise, for example, when the axial dimension of the reel is not too great, and when the diameter of the reel core may be less than twice the diameter of the reel heads. Furthermore, such reels can in many instances be produced from materials such as, e.g., paper board, corrugated board and the like, which is relatively inexpensive and may be disposable after use, although advantages from such structures are not necessarily limited to these materials.